Are people still this tech dumb?

[Robert Maxwell]

I don't understand why the default behavior of a wireless router is to be unsecured. You should have to click through a bunch of nonsense and warnings before it will let you open it up to the world, considering most people really don't want it to work that way. The default should be to set everything up with WPA2 and a password of a minimum length and complexity.

 

[B.J.]

Part of the problem (IMO) is that it's very difficult to set one up right if you've never had to do it before, even moreso if you're not that tech-savvy in the first place. The first time I did it, it took me the better part of a day to figure out just what the heck the manual was trying to tell me to do. They should make it easier to understand and set routers up, especially since they're getting to be a lot more widespread.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I don't get it, sorry.

What's so hard about setting up a password on the router? Access router setup, choose the encryption method, type in a password, done.
It's not rocket science.

 

[B.J.]

I don't get it, sorry.

What's so hard about setting up a password on the router? Access router setup, choose the encryption method, type in a password, done.
It's not rocket science.

If only you knew what I did for a living.....

 

[auntiehill]

^

Oh dear...

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Part of the problem (IMO) is that it's very difficult to set one up right if you've never had to do it before, even moreso if you're not that tech-savvy in the first place. The first time I did it, it took me the better part of a day to figure out just what the heck the manual was trying to tell me to do. They should make it easier to understand and set routers up, especially since they're getting to be a lot more widespread.

Yeah, routers should come with very simple wizards to set all this up for you. You shouldn't have to read a manual, just have a CD you pop in that asks you a few questions and you're good to roll. No way should it take more than an hour to get fully set up!

 

[Trekker4747]

Normally you have to log into your router using an IP address, know the administrator password (usually just admin/admin by default) then know hot to navigate to the security settings, and then even understand what all of the security settings mean.

A simple "fill in the blank upon first inserting the CD" system would be most useful to all people.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Normally you have to log into your router using an IP address, know the administrator password (usually just admin/admin by default) then know hot to navigate to the security settings, and then even understand what all of the security settings mean.

A simple "fill in the blank upon first inserting the CD" system would be most useful to all people.

Exactly. There's no reason a simple installation wizard can't do all that for you, then give you a nice page to print representing your settings, which you should file away in a safe place.

 

[Trekker4747]

And like said above there's any number of ways you can make a password "unique to you", one that only you understand and can decode.

I knew a guy once who looked at the Home Row as a "flatline" and he knew which keys to press to mimic a sinus rhythm on it. Something quick and easy to know and remember, he didn't need to write it down, and it was something that'd be difficult for a person to "decode."

But, nope, even with passwords most people think it's an awesome idea to use their pet's name.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Whenever I need to encrypt something, I just use the trusty ROT13 algorithm.

 

[Jadzia]

Whenever I need to encrypt something, I just use the trusty ROT13 algorithm.

For double security I prefer to give things two passes through that algorithm.

But, nope, even with passwords most people think it's an awesome idea to use their pet's name.

Being cleverer than that, I use my deceased pet's name. Nobody would think of guessing the name of a dead dog.

 

[B.J.]

Whenever I need to encrypt something, I just use the trusty ROT13 algorithm.

For double security I prefer to give things two passes through that algorithm.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Can someone tell me if this was correct (i.e. is this what you guys are talking about).

I entered my IP address and I was taken to my router page. There I went into User Management and changed my password. I gather that before that the user name was admin and the password was admin. I used the method Trek4747 suggested (using a book to create a password).

Does this protect my computer or not?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

What you have done is secured the router so anyone who accesses it won't be able to login.

This is not the same as setting up wireless encryption, though, to lock down the Internet access associated with your wireless network.

There should be a "Security" section of your router's administration program where you can set up wireless security. There should be choices like "WEP" and "WPA" and "WPA2".

 

[Miss Chicken]

OK. I just changed my WPA-PSK Encryption Key. Is this what I had to do?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

OK. I just changed my WPA-PSK Encryption Key. Is this what I had to do?

Yes! And you should be prompted for it whenever you connect a computer to your wireless network.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Thank you. We have done all that. Now I gather we are safe.

 

[Trekker4747]

Thank you. We have done all that. Now I gather we are safe.

You should be 99% safe. There's still that tiny chance that someone can get in but assuming how complex you made your password you should be good.

 

[Miss Chicken]

My password is 18 characters long and it consists of a mixture of upper and lower case letters and some numbers.

 

[sojourner]

^How ironic! My password is "18 characters long and it consists of a mixture of upper and lower case letters and some numbers.". Typing that whole thing is a bitch.